Air drier for warp



Jm; 22, 1952 E. M. HOLT AIR DRIER FOR WARP Filed 0d. 20, 1949 L? g Q Jmiz-a agimfffiit AW? 5 FM Patented Jan. 22, 1952 PATENT OFFICE i Stanza AIR mini: ron WARP Edwin M. 11 1i}; Mam, N. c.

I'Dlieation October ,,194e, Serial No. 122,551

6 claims? (or. 34 -154) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in driers, and more particularly driers especially adapted for the air drying :of warp.

In the drying of warp, one practice consistsj in' i passing a shed comprising a plurality of sized" warp elements into and through a drier wher the sized warp is subjected to a drying current; of air. In order to enhance the drying action of the air in the drier upon the warp passing therethrough, the shed of warp is split into a plurality of levels as it enters the drier by passing. each successive warp over one of a pluralityjiofr splitting rolls. Within the drier the warp tria verses a plurality of generally horizontal courses longitudinally thereof during which the war f'ispassed about relatively large drums at the o posite ends of the drier.

One of the difiiculties in warp driers of t i type is presented by the splitting rolls becoming coated with the size on the warp with the result: that these rolls become sticky and collect lint andother particles which interfere with efficientoperation of the drier and the production of sate;- isfactory warp. Another difficulty is presented by the tendency for the drums within the driertos collect lint which is borne by the drying air which; is circulated through the drier.

With the foregoing in mind the principal 'ob=,-

ject of the present invention is to provide an:-airdrier for warp whereby the tendency for the warp splitting rolls to become sticky and collect lint is substantially minimized. Another object of the invention is to provide an air drier for warp as set forth wherein,.- the collection of lint upon the drums at the om is ite ends of the courses of travel of the warp likewise is substantially minimized. Another object of the invention is to provide-" an air drier for warp embodying the foregoing features and advantages which is of relatively simplified construction and is highly eiiicient. 'inoperation and use.

These and other objects of the invention and? the various features and details of the construe-L tion and operation thereof, are hereinafter fully; set forth and described with reference toIthe accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view longitudinally. through an air warp drier made according to present invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view takenf'on line 22, Fig. 1; 1 Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the dis'clo' sure in Fig. 2; and v 55 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating an alternate arrangement for controlling rotation of the splitting rolls relative to the speed of travel of the warp.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, an air drier for warp made according to the present invention may comprise an elongated generally rectangular housing structure I comprising inlet and outlet end walls 2 and 3, respectively, and a top wall 4. The drier housing I may be subdivided into compartments A and B, for; example, by means of a vertical partition 5 which extends entirely to the housing top 4. The topof each compartment A and B may be defined bya so-called false ceiling structure 6 and I, respectively, and each compartment in turn may be-subdivided into longitudinally adjacent portions by means of transverse vertical partitions 8 and 9 which extend downwardly from the ceiling structures 6 and I and terminate at a point spaced a substantial distance above the floor or surface on which the housing I rests.

Mounted in the ceiling structure 6 of the compartment A at respectively opposite sides of' the partition 8 is a downdraft fan I0 and an updraft fan II, respectively, which may be driven, for example, by means of motors I2 and I3. Similar updraft and downdraft fans It and I5 are provided in the ceiling structure I of the compartmeht B at respectively opposite sides of the partition 9 and driven, for example, by means of electric motors I6 and I1. Positioned below the downdraft fans I0 and I5 in the respective compartments are dispersion plates I8 and I9 which serve to bathe the downwardly moving air entering the compartments A and B and, with reference to Fig. l'of. the drawing, it will be observed that the construction and arrangement of theseveral fans and partitions is such that the drying'air is caused to be circulated downwardly and then upwardly'at respectively opposite sides of the partitions 8 and 9.

Arranged below the dispersing plates I8 and I9"and extending longitudinally of the housing structure I are a series of steam pipes 29 which serve to heat the air circulated within the two compartments A and B to the temperature required to perform the drying operation. Extending crosswise of the updraft sections of each itheicompartment A and B and below the bank of heat pipes 28 there is provided a suitable lint screen 2I which functions in the usual manner to remove from the upwardly flowing air lint which is borne and entrained thereby.

In accordance with the present invention the housing through an opening 25 in said end wall. Upon re-entering the housing the warp traverses a second lower horizontal course in a reverse direction through the drier toward the inlet end of the latter, and then again passes exteriorly of the housing through anopening 26 inthe inlet end wall 2 thereof where it passes about a second relatively large diameter drum 2?. After passing about the drum 21 the warp again reenters the housing I through 'an'opening 28 in the inlet wall 2" and traverses athird horizontal course through the housing from which it finally emerges through an opening 29 in the outlet end wall 3 thereof.

A feature of the invention is the mounting of the drums 24 and 27 exteriorly 'of the housing Heretofore these drums have been mounted within the drier in order to gain the-added drying. efiect derived from the heated air circulating therein. However, it has been determined by mounting the drums 24 and2l-exteriorly of the drier and removed from the'lint-laden'air circulating within the drier that the collection of lint suitable means (not shown) at a-predetermined' surface speed to cause the warp to travel through its several courses in the drier "at a predetermined linear rate of speed. a Y

Prior to entering the "housing I through the: inlet opening 22 the shed of warp is split into a' plurality of groups of warp elements maintained at different levels. This is accomplished by splitting the warp between a plurality of socalled splitting rolls 3|, 32 and 33, for example, so that warp elements one, four, seven, and so on of the shed pass over the lowermost'splittingroll 3|, while warp elements two, five, 'eight,xand so on pass over the intermediate splitting roll 32, and warp elements three, six, nine, and so on pass over the uppermost splitting roll 33.-

In accordance with the present invention the splitting rolls 3|, 32 and 33 are mounted exteri orly of the drier housing I .and are :spaced substantially from the inlet open 22 thereto. In the illustrated embodiment of-the-invention the splitting rolls 3|, 32 and 33 are arranged horizontally and have their opposite ends rotationally mounted in suitable side frames 34 which are arranged outboard of the inlet end structure of the drier housing and between the latter and a size box so that as the'shed of warp emerges from the latter through the usual squeeze rolls 35 the shed passes directly over the several splitting rolls 3|, 3.2 and 33 in themanner described. By

placing the splitting rolls 3|, 32 'and' 33 exteri-.

orly of the drier housing and at a point relatively removed from the heat of the drier, the tendency for the sizing material onthe warp to become tacky and adhere to and coat thesplitting rolls is greatly reduced. While in the present embodiment of the invention three splitting rolls 3|, 32 and 33 are shown, the invention contemplates the use of any number of splitting rolls, two or more, that may be required depending upon the requirements of the particular drying operation such as, for example, the number of warp elements in a particular shed to be dried.

. In addition to the benefits obtained by mounting-the splitting rolls 3|, '32 and 33 in the described relation with respect to the drier housing it has been found that coating of the rolls and the collection of lint thereon is further reduced 'and i'substantially minimized, for example, by

driving thesplitting rolls 3|, 32 and 33 at a surface speed which is different from the speed of linear travel'of the warp, for example, at a surface speed either slightly faster or slightly slower than the travel of the warp. By driving the splitting rolls faster than the speed of the warp a wiping action takes place which keeps the rolls clean and this, together with the minimizing of the adherenceof the size to the rolls as previously described, substantially precludes the collection oflint on the splitting rolls and results in improved eificiency of the drier and a more uniform'stable product. 5

Thus, with reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing,- the several splitting rolls 3|, 32 and 33 maybe suitably geared together in well-known manner as indicated generally by reference numeral 3'!-.to be driven as a unit from one of the said rolls, for-example, the roll 33 which may be driven by a belt 38 from a pulley 39 associated with. the drum 21, the gearing being such that the rol-ls'are driven at a speed either slightly faster or slightly slower than the speed of linear travel of the warp through the drier housing In lieu of positively driving the splitting rolls 31, 32 and 33 at a speed slightly faster or slower than the linear speed of travel of the warp, the same results can be obtained by mounting the splitting rolls 3|, 32 and 33 for free rotation and applying to each thereof a friction drag or brake device 40 which likewise causes a wiping action to be produced on the rolls by the warp elements passing thereover.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides an air drier for Warp whereby the tendency for the warp splitting rolls to become sticky and collect lint is substantially minimized. The invention further provides an air drier for warp wherein the collection of lint upon the drums at opposite ends of the courses of travelof the warp likewise is substantially minimized. In addition, the invention provides an air drier for warp embodying the foregoing features and advantages which is of relatively simplified construction and is highly efficient in operation and use.

-While a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention to such disclosure, and changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an air drierfor warp comprising a housingthrough which a shed of warp is adapted to travel in a plurality of spaced generally parallel courses, a plurality of splitting rolls rotatably mounted exteriorly of the'housing and spaced from the inlet thereto operable to divide the shed of Warp into a plurality of spaced groups each containing a plurality of warp elementsf relatively large diameter drums rotationally mounted exteriorly adjacent the housing and operable to feed the warp through the housing at a predetermined linear speed, one of said drums being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from the first to sec ond course of travel through the housing and a second drum being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from said second to the third course of travel through the housing, and means to cause said splitting rolls to rotate at a surface speed different from the linear speed of travel of the warp elements so that a wiping action takes place between the said warp elements and said rolls.

2. In an air drier for warp comprising a hous ing through which a shed of warp is adapted to travel in a plurality of spaced generally parallel courses, a plurality of splitting rolls rotatably mounted exteriorly of the housing and spaced from the inlet thereto operable to divide the shed of warp into a plurality of spaced groups each containing a plurality of warp elements, relatively large diameter drums rotationally mounted exteriorly adjacent the housing and operable to feed the warp through the housing at a predetermined linear speed, one of said drums being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from the first to second course of travel through the housing and a second drum being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from said second to the third course of travel through the housing, and brake means cooperable with said splitting rolls to cause the same to rotate at a surface speed slower than the linear speed of travel of the warp elements so that a wiping action takes place between the said warp elements and said rolls.

3. In an air drier for warp comprising a housing through which a shed of warp is adapted to travel in a plurality of spaced generally parallel courses, a plurality of splitting rolls exteriorly of the housing and spaced from the inlet thereto operable to divide the shed of warp into a plurality of relatively spaced groups each containing a plurality of warp elements, relatively large diameter drums rotationally mounted exteriorly adjacent the housing and operable to feed the warp through the housing at a predetermined linear speed, one of said drums being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from the first to second course of travel through the housing and a second drum being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from said second to the third course of its travel through the housing, and a driving connection between one of said drums and said splitting rolls operable to drive the said rolls at a surface speed different from the linear speed of travel of the warp through the housing.

4. In an air drier for warp comprising a housing through which a shed of warp is adapted to travel in a plurality of spaced generally parallel courses, a plurality of splitting rolls exteriorly of the housing and spaced from the inlet thereto operableto divide the shed of warp into a plurality of relatively spaced groups each containing a plurality of warp elements, connections between said rolls operable to cause the same to rotate as a unit at the same speed, relatively large diameter drums rotationally mounted exteriorly adjacent the housing and operable to feed the warp through the housing at a predetermined linear speed, one of said drums being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from the first to second course of travel through the housing and a second drum being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from said second to the third course of its travel through the housing, and a driving connection between one of said drums and one of said splitting rolls operable to drive the said rolls at a surface speed different from the linear speed of travel of the warp through the housing.

5. In an air drier for warp comprising a housing through which a shed of warp is adapted to travel in a plurality of spaced generally parallel courses, a plurality of splitting rolls exteriorly of the housing and spaced from the inlet thereto operable to divide the shed of warp into a plurality of relatively spaced groups each containing a plurality of warp elements, relatively large diameter drums rotationally mounted exteriorly adjacent the housing and operable to feed the warp through the housing at a predetermined linear speed, one of said drums being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from the first to second course of travel through the housing and a second drum being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from said second to the third course of its travel through the housing, and a driving connection between said second drum and said splitting rolls operable to drive the said rolls at a surface speed different from the linear speed of travel of the warp through the housing.

6. In an air drier for Warp comprising a housing through which a shed of warp is adapted to travel in a plurality of spaced generally parallel courses, a plurality of splitting rolls exteriorly of the housing and spaced from the inlet thereto operable to divide the shed of warp into a plurality of relatively spaced groups each containing a plurality of warp elements, connections between said rolls operable to causethe same to rotate as a unit at the same speed, relatively large diameter drums rotationally mounted exteriorly adjacent the housing and operable to feed the warp through the housing at a predetermined linear speed, one of said drums being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from the first to second course of travel through the housing and a second drum being positioned for the warp to pass thereabout in transferring from said second to the third course of its travel through the housing, and a driving connection between said second drum and one of said splitting rolls operable to drive the said rolls at a surface speed different from the linear speed of travel of the warp through the housing.

EDWIN M. HOLT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

